French Presidential Candidate, Le Pen Refuses to Don a Headscarf for Meeting with Leader in Lebanon

Aimee Herd : Feb 22, 2017
John Moody - Fox News

"I consider the headscarf a symbol of a woman's submission. I will not put on the veil." -Marine Le Pen

France's presidential candidate Marine Le Pen is reportedly leading in the polls, and maybe more so now after she would not wear a head covering at the request of the Sunni Muslim leader she was scheduled to meet. (Photo: AAP/AFP)

Le Pen's meeting with Sheikh Abdel-Latif Derian of Lebanon was "abruptly" canceled after his staff was informed that she would not wear a scarf.

"I consider the headscarf a symbol of a woman's submission. I will not put on the veil." Le Pen later said, according to the Fox News report.

Interestingly, Fox editor John Moody notes that Le Pen is not alone in refusing to wear a headscarf upon meeting a Muslim head of state; during their time as First Ladies, both Laura Bush and Michelle Obama also refused headscarves.

Le Pen has been compared on some counts to President Trump, for her strong stance on immigration.

Click here to read more about Le Pen and the upcoming French presidential election.